Improvement in the propulsion of railway-cars and other vehicles



R. N. WETHERILL.

Prupulsion of Railroad-Cars and other Vehicles.

Patented April 28,1874.

[7) l m 2 nun-i: 5 m m I In Witness'es Inventor UNEE ROBERT N. WETHERILL,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN THE PROPULSiON 0F RAILWAY-CARS AND OTHER VEHICLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 150,3Ql, dated April 28, 1874 application filed February 4, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT N. WETHERILL, of Chicago, county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Power for Railroads and other Purposes; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same,

which will enable others skilled in the art to which my invention relates to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this speciiication, in which.

Figure 1 is a top "iew. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section.

My invention relates to power to be used upon railroads and streetcar roads, or upon any smooth surface, as turnpikes, plank-roads, &c. In my invention the strain is not so hard upon the engine or upon the power applied'as at the present time; consequently the amount of fuel consumed will be far less than by eir gines as operated atthe present time.

My invention consists of the weight A, attached to the swinging lever or pendulum B, said pendulum being attached at its upper end to rock-shaft O. This rock-shaft is journaled in the frame-work D at (I, so that it works with a free and easy rocking motion when the weight is transferred from one side to the other. To the rock-shaft G are attached the arms 0. To these arms are pivoted the connecting-rods 1), their opposite ends being pivoted to the ratchet-levers C. The ratchet-1evers are fitted loosely on the axle, and are provided with pawls 1), working into ratchetwheels I). These ratchetwheels are secured firmly to the forward axle In. In order that the speed may be increased, the gear'wheel a is placed upon the hind axle, and into this meshes the gear-wheel a, the same being secured to the countershaft E. Near each end of counter-shaft E are fitted loosely the ratchetlevers O, the levers having a sleeve, through which the counter-shaft E passes. Just outside of ratchet-levers, and secured to the counter-shaft, are the ratchet-wheels I) and pawls b. In order that the motion may be reduced or increased without changing the motion of the power, the rod F is used, having the pawllifts f pivoted to the same, the rod being slotted, and working upon pins secured to posts fastened to the bottom of the framework, the same being operated by the lever c. WVhen running at slow speed, the lever e is thrown forward, which disengages the pawls from the ratchet-wheels upon the geared shaft E, and engages the pawls with ratchets upon the axle, and vice versa. In order that the maehine may be ready to start at all times after being stopped, the weight A is always caught at the extreme swing. For this purpose the stop f is used; this being pivoted in the center to a post secured to the bottom of car, the end pivoted to the rod G, the opposite end of the rod passing through a small bearing and attached to the lower extremity of lever let the lever be thrown either backward or forward, the catch engages or disengages the weight attached to the frame-work D at h,- and working into each other are two geared levers, H and H, the fulcrum being the center of the gears. The lower end of geared lever H grasps loosely the pendulum or swinging lever 13 near the weight A. The geared lever H meshes into the gear of geared lever H, the lower end passing down between the frame-work to a point where it may be con-' veniently attached to the power to be applied.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The power is applied to lever H at I, and, when moving in one direction, the gear, engaging the gear in lever H, forces the same in the opposite direction, and at the same time moves the weight to one side of the car, when it cushions upon the spring h. Having reached this point, it will of its own weight pass back by the center of the car, so that all the power that is to be furnished will be to force the weight about one-third of the length of the swing. W'hen the weight is in motion it transmits motion, through rock-shaft O and arms 0, to connecting-rods D; the same being pivoted to ratchetlevers C, transmits the same motion to them; the pawls b, engaging the ratchet-wheels b cause the axle, to which the wheels are secured, to revolve on the countershaft, the same operating in the same manner upon the axle, only increasing the speed, and

by this means the movementof the car or ve hicle is accomplished.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1's- 1. The lever B, with Weight A attached to its lower extremity, and geared levers H and H 7 combined and applied to a wagon or car, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The rock-shaft 0, arms 0, connecting-rods D, ratchet-levers C, pawls b, and ratchetwheels I), in combination with lever B and Weight A, and applied to a wagon or car, to operate as specified.

The above specification signed by me this 27th day of January, 1874.

ROBERT N. WETHERILL. Vitnesses A. R. SLOAN, 01V. CRARY. 

